Vol. XVI. No. 407. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Production of Essential Oils in India. 



There are immense plantations of Eucalyptus 

 globulus in the Nilgiri hills in India. In spite of 

 this, and the simplicity of the distillation of the essential 

 oil from the leaves, large quantites of the oil are 

 imported from Australia. Mr. Puran Singh, Chemical 

 Adviser to the Indian Forest Research Instiiute, has 

 issued a report on the prospects of this industry in 

 India in Indian Forest Records, Vol. V, Part 8. 



His conclusions are that the industry is capable of 

 great development, if means can be found for increas- 

 ing the leaf supply without resort to the Australian 

 system of 'lopping' the trees. Mr. Piiran Singh also 

 advocates the cultivation of Pelargonium grai^eolens, 

 a native plant, for the production of geranium oil 

 as an auxilliary crop for the use of eucalyptus 

 oil distillers, both plants being suited to the con- 

 ditions of the Nilgiris, and the same distilling plant 

 beiiig capable of employment with either. 



A New Hibiscus. 



There are about 1.50 species of Hibiscus known, 

 several of which are among the most showy of garden 

 plants, notably, H. Rosa-sinensis, which in its many 

 varieties, single and double, ranging in colour from 

 brilliant scarlet through shades of red and yellow to 

 almost pure white, is such a favourite plant in tropical 

 gardens. The Field for October 20, 1917, describes 

 another species under the name H. ivaimeae which 

 has been introduced into conservatories in England 

 from Hawaii by way of California. A large example 

 of the plant, some 1.5 feet high, has recently been 

 flowt-ring in the Mexican house at Kew. It is described 

 as growing into a tree 2-5 feet in height, with large, 

 ovate, toothed leaves, and Howers over 6 inches wide, 

 with pure white petals, and the long central column of 

 stamens coloured bright-red. Plants of it grown in 

 pots formed shapely specimens about 3 feet high and 

 flowered freely in a greenhouse. It is said to be as 

 easily grown as its near relative H. Rosa-sinensis, 

 and is evidently a handsome shrub. It might be 

 capable of producing, when crossed with the latter, 

 a series of fine hybrids. Another species, also alluded 

 to in the same article in the Field is H. syriacus, 

 which is said to be quite hardy in the English climate, 

 forming a large shrub in sunny situations, and 

 flowering freely in late summer. Like H. Rosa- 

 sinensis, there are many vaiieties of this species, 

 single and double, white, pink, red, purple, even to 

 almost pure blue in colour. This last shade is most 

 unusual in flowers of this genus. Both of these 

 species might be desirable acquisitions for West 

 Indian oardens as companions to those which are 

 already grown. 



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Standardized Rubber for Trinidad 



In a recent report, the Rubber Committee of the 

 Trinidad Board of Agriculture states that while the 

 rubber industry is not likely to occupy so important 

 a position as cacao, sugar, or coco-nuts, it should never- 

 theless be quite as important as' such crops as limes, 

 rice, and coffee. 



The quantity of rubber shipped from Trinidad 

 from January 1 to August 1, 1!»17, amounted to 12,102 tt», 

 as compared with .5,063 lb. for the same period of the 

 preceding year. 



Among other recommendations of the committee 

 is that tapping methods be standardized, and that the 

 basal 'V method be adopted on young trees, to be 

 followed later on by a single cut on a quarter of the 

 circumference of the tree. 



Co-operation among rubber growers is str.mgly 

 advocated for the purpose of purchasing tapping tools 

 and cups, so as to minimize thereby the cost. 



Another recommendation is that earthenware cups 

 be employed rathei than those of tin, because of their 

 immunity from rust, and because, being made without 

 angles, they can be more easily cleaned. 



The committee are of opinion that such standard- 

 ization of methods, coupled with co-operative production 

 would result in rubber of uniform and superior quality,. 

 thus tending to place the industry on a secure basis. 



International Sugar Committee. 



Early in October the Food Administration of the 

 United States appointed an International Sugar 

 Committee to regulate the distribution of sugar to 

 the allied countries, and to supervise the operation of 

 the sugar market. Cuba, in spite of being the largesti 

 sugar producer in the world, upon whom the Allies are 

 depending for their supply of sugar, was not repre- 

 sented on this committee. The confidence of the su^ar 

 producers of the island that the Food Administration 

 would act fairly by Cuba in fixing the price of sucar 

 has been somewhat shaken by the delay that took 

 place in setting the price for Cuban sugars. The cause 

 of this delay is said to be the slowness of the sucr.u- 

 producers of Western Cuba in sending in complete 

 data showing the cost of production per pound of sucrar 

 at their various factories. Most of the data as to cost 

 of production in the hands of the Food Administration 

 of the United States is from the Centrals in Oriente and" 

 Camaguey Provinces, where the average cost of pro- 

 duction of a pound of sugar is considerably lower than 

 that in the Western Provinces of the island, so that 

 a price based on these data would be ruinous to many 

 sugar producers in the latter region. This is another 

 instance of how lack of co-operation in an industry is- 

 productive of serious inconvenience if not loss. 

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Plant Protection in St. Lucia. 



On September 20, 1917, the Administrator of 

 St. Lucia issued a Proclamation forbidding the impor- 

 tation into the colony of any plants, cuttings, fruits, 

 or any parts therecjf, belonging to the natural ■ order 

 Graminaceae, that may have come, either directly or 

 indirectly, from Trinidad or Grenada, except under 

 special licence given, by the Governor. A note to this 

 Proclamation states that it is issued to protect the 

 .St. Lucia sugar industry against the introduction of 

 the froghopper, which li\es on almost an\' kind ofgrasa 

 as well as sugar-cane: therefore the whole grass family 

 has been included within the Proclamation. 



